Meet The Team

At Empower Her Rise, our leadership team is committed to amplifying voices, advancing equity, and building a community were young woman of color feel supported and empowered. Meet the dynamic women and allies guiding our vision, values, and impact.

Meet the Team

  • Young woman with long wavy hair smiling, wearing a black dress with ruffled sleeves and a colorful striped fabric detail, and silver earrings.

    Amaya Banks

    FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

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  • Portrait of a smiling woman with shoulder-length curly hair, wearing a pink sleeveless top and a pearl necklace, against a plain background.

    Laila Newton

    DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMMING & OUTREACH

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  • A woman with glasses, long curly hair, and dark lipstick sitting on a bench outdoors against a building with cactus plants in the background

    Akheena Farrior Parcak

    DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT

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  • A woman with dark curly hair, wearing a white shirt and a gray plaid blazer, smiling at the camera with earrings, against a gray background.

    Sydni King

    DIRECTOR OF POLICY & MEMBERSHIP ENAGEMENT

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Meet Our Changemakers - 2025 Interns

  • A woman with braided hair, gold hoop earrings, wearing a dark green blazer over a white collared shirt, smiling against a light background.

    Keyoncee Washington

    Michigan State University - Senior

    ROGRAM & OUTREACH INTERN

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  • A smiling woman with long black wavy hair, wearing a black headband and black top, in front of a plain background.

    Makayla Terrell

    Howard University School of Law - Rising 2L

    EXECUTIVE INTERN

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  • A woman with dark, curly hair wearing a red top, standing against a plain white wall, looking at the camera with a slight smile.

    Amara Barnes

    North Carolina Central University - Freshman

    SOCIAL MEDIA INTERN

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Join Our Leadership - Get Involved

Interested in joining our team or nominating someone for leadership?